The final installment of the 10 years and almost 20 hours of screen time given to J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter saga is satisfying in every way. Director David Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves confidently put all the pieces of the unfinished puzzle together as we see the destiny of characters (living and dead) played out in front of our eyes. Center stage is given to Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) as he prepares for a final battle against the powerful evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) who has given him so much grief in the past and now wants to put an end to his magic and his life.
Harry once again has plenty of spiritual support from his best friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) who are now a loving young couple. As his close encounter with his arch-enemy grows near, Harry is surprised by the courage of Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) and the resiliency of Professor Minerva McGonagall (Maggie Smith), and the allegiance of other members of the teaching staff of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But the biggest revelation of all comes through the dying words of Professor Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), the partner in evil with Lord Voldemort and the murderer of Professor Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon).
This last episode of Harry Potter contains the usual fantasy sequences designed to keep the youth audience satisfied: a journey into the innards of Gringotts bank where a winged dragon lies in wait; the retrieval of Helga Hufflepuff's cup in a vault where gold treasures multiply and fireballs reign; and the fierce attack on Hogwarts by Lord Voldemort's minions. But the heart and soul of this last installment of Harry Potter is aptly focused on the brave young wizard himself. All the elements of his journey are there: his confrontation with the fears within himself, his love of those closest to him, his quest for the good, his deep identification with his deceased mother, his unselfishness and willingness to sacrifice himself for others, his patience and persistence in the face of one mystery after another, his purity of heart, and his penultimate choice of weakness over power.
It is a fine and noble thing to have had the luxury of witnessing Harry Potter's coming to spiritual maturity over the course of eight movies. It is no wonder that these films have become the top-grossing franchise of all time, capturing the imaginations of young and old alike all over the world. And through it all, despite all the special effects and elaborate scenes, character development has been first and foremost. We have come to love Harry and his friends. Perhaps the most fitting tribute to his heroism, spiritual maturity, and sacrifice comes from the posthumous words of his beloved Professor Albus Dumbledore: "Harry, you wonderful boy. You brave, brave man."
Special features on the three-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo include: Maximum Movie Mode hosted by actor Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and other cast members; a conversation with author J. K. Rowling and actor Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter); "The Goblins of Gringott's"; "The Women of Harry Potter"; a Warner Bros. Studio Tour (London); and additional scenes.
